Friday, September 27, 2013

Halloween is a spectacular event, but can become very pricey
and environmentally damaging! GPOD is a proud supporter of the environment and
we have some tips on how to stay clean and green this Halloween Season!

Reusable Trick-Or-Treat
Bags – Don’t send your kids out trick-or-treating with a plastic, non
recyclable bag! Look for eco-friendly, reusable bags that will last for years
to come and won’t destroy the environment.

Plastic bags use millions of gallons of fossil fuels to
produce and end up as litter, which kills millions of animals each year. Paper
bag production uses 14 million trees a year! Opt for festive bags like a Halloween
ChicoBag. Not only are they eco-friendly, but they will hold better and longer
than a plastic or paper bag! Buy them online here or at a store near
you!

Do-It-Yourself
Costumes – Why spend good money on a costume your kids will only wear once?
Instead, make a costume together! Take an afternoon to spend time with your
kids and make a costume they will love and appreciate. Head to your local
thrift shop or use clothes you already own to whip up something magical! Or you
can set up a costume swap with your friends and their kids! Free and fun!

Give Organic –
Rather than filling the neighborhood kids with unhealthy, non-environmentally
friendly candy, shop for organic candy that tastes just as sweet without the
stomachache! Also, buy locally when you can to boost your local economy and
help out a neighbor. Not big on any kind of candy? Hand out colored pencils or
crayons to keep the kids busy all year long!

Throw a Green
Halloween Party – Instead of splurging on harmful decorations look around
your house. Use old sheets for ghostly appearances and think local for pumpkin
carving and bobbing for apples. Serve organic foods for healthy fun and use
dishes, utensils and napkins that can be washed and used again. Save any
strictly Halloween décor for next year and get more bang for your buck! Also
teach your kids to throw away and recycle any candy wrappers they have acquired
while at their own Halloween festivities!

But don’t stop there! Keep going green all year long! Become
a regular at the local farmers market and learn to compost old foods. Think of
reusing old clothing and upcycling for new designs, or setting up a clothing
swap with your friends!

And don’t forget to use GPOD for any dumpster or storage pod
services. We recycle 80% of the waste we collect and keep an environmentally
friendly storage service customized for convenience.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

It’s that time of the year again! Fall is on the horizon and
back to school shopping is on the brain! We know this is a stressful time and
those back to school supplies can add up to a pretty penny, so we have some
tips to keep you on your A game!

-LOOK BACK. First, go through last year’s
supplies to see what needs to be thrown out and what can be reused. Is every
pen out of ink? Are all your pencil’s now stubs? Did your children use all the
notebook paper?

-RECYCLE. All those old supplies that you can’t
use could be used somewhere else! Find out where you can recycle paper, pens,
and other supplies near you!

-MAKE A LIST. Before hitting the store make a
list of things you need and try to stick to only the list when at the stores.
Those bright colors and new gadgets are hard to resist but keep your eye on the
prize!

-BUY RECYCLED. Join the green trend and buy
recycled items. Recycled items range from backpacks to paper so ask your local
store where you can find green back to school supplies. We know Target and
Office Max are a great place to start!

-WEAR GREEN. Back to school clothes are a must
have in a child’s wardrobe. Instead of hitting the stores, set up a swap with
friends or family. Kids grow out of clothes quickly so those barely worn jeans
might fit your children perfectly!

-BREATHE FRESH AIR. Look for nontoxic items such
as ink and art supplies, water based paints and batteries with little mercury.
Also look for the closest bus stop instead of driving your children to school.
Think about carpooling with neighbors too.

Follow these tips and you’ll be sure to kick off the school year right! If you need help throwing away last years large science projects, or debris from summer home improvement projects, trust GPOD with your dumpster needs! Have a great school year everybody!